All the Arts, All the Time

Monster Mash: J. Paul Getty III dies at age 54 in England; 'Spider-Man' meets villains in form of critics

February 8, 2011 | 8:12
am

Dynastic scion: J. Paul Getty III, the grandson of oil tycoon and art collector J. Paul Getty who was once kidnapped in a high-profile case, has died in England at age 54 following a long illness. (Los Angeles Times)

Not waiting any longer: Theater critics around the country offer the first official reviews of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," even though the troubled musical is still in preview performances. (Los Angeles Times)

Priceless: Restoration work has begun on Egyptian artifacts damaged during anti-government protests, according to news reports from Cairo on Monday. (Los Angeles Times)

Budgetary cuts: The Republican governor of Kansas has signed an executive order abolishing the Kansas Arts Commission and replacing it with a private, nonprofit organization. (Kansas City Star)

Fearful: The director of a contemporary art museum near Naples, Italy has said that he is asking for asylum in Germany because of repeated Mafia threats and his government's failure to protect Italy's cultural heritage. (CBS News)

Recovering: Conductor Riccardo Muti’s jaws have been wired in place to stabilize the lower jaw as part of reconstructive surgery following a fall from the podium in Chicago. (Chicago Sun-Times)

Box-office hit: The production of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" at New York's Classic Stage Company, starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, has sold out its entire run, with the possibility of an extension. (Playbill)

False alarm: A fire was reported near the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History on Monday, but no injuries or damage to the museum's contents have been reported. (Reuters)

Also in the L.A. Times: The Getty Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art have partnered on a major acquisition of artist Robert Mapplethorpe's work and archival material; La Jolla Playhouse will produce a new stage musical based on the 2004 movie "Finding Neverland"; the Pacific Symphony announces its 2011-12 season.

-- David Ng

Photo: The Foxwoods Theatre in New York, home of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." Credit: Kathy Willens / Associated Press